Annex

THE SCHOOL AND PROGRAM

QUESTIONNAIRE

The School and Program Questionnaire was divided into three parts:
Part I: Background questions about the school
Part II: Questions about Upper Secondary Schools (Human Resources, Aspects of Functioning,
Feedback, Stakeholders, Information and Communication Technology)
Part III: Program questionnaire (Questions related to programmes)

ANNEX 1

OECD International Survey of Schools at the Upper Secondary Level

<Country name>
School ID:

SCHOOL AND PROGRAM

QUESTIONNAIRE
International Generic Version

School Name
Site Adress
City/town/village
Region/state/province
Zip code:
Respondent:
Phone:

ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT

56

OECD 2004

ANNEX 1

SCHOOL AND PROGRAM QUESTIONNAIRE

PREFACE

What is this survey about?

This survey is being administered in 18 OECD countries to compare how upper secondary education is
provided. The questionnaire asks for information about:
The educational programs offered in your school site;
The schools resources;
Teachers;
The use of information technology and the obstacles in this area;
The contacts of the school with higher education and the world of work;
Some pedagogical and administrative practices.
How will the information be used?

Your information will help reveal disparities of resource distribution particularly for new technologies
both within and between countries. You will receive a summary of the information collected in your
country so that you may compare your own situation to other schools in the country where upper
secondary education is provided.
By filling out this questionnaire you also contribute to Education at a Glance, one of the leading educational
publications of the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development. Using comparative
statistics, OECD in co-operation with the Member countries identifies and develops indicators and
international benchmarks in key issues in education to help policy makers who seek to improve their
countries education systems.
For further information on OECDs activities and publications related to education you may want to
consult www.oecd.org and www.pisa.oecd.org.
How should you respond to this questionnaire?

The questionnaire should be completed by the <principal >or designate. Some of the questions ask
information about which you may want to consult staff members in your school. Once you have this
information, the questionnaire should take about 45 minutes to complete.
If you do not know an answer precisely, your best estimation will be adequate for the purposes of this
survey.
Your answers will be kept confidential. Thank you.

OECD 2004

57

ANNEX 1

PRELIMINARY NOTE

We ask about this school site

Part I of this questionnaire (Questions 1 6) refers to the school site.

If your school has other school sites as well, please exclude these from your answers. In this questionnaire
school always refers to the school site sampled for this survey.
We ask about <upper secondary education>

Part II of this questionnaire (Questions 7 to 28) refers to the whole of the <ISCED 3 programs> in your
school.
If some of the programs or parts of the programs offered at your school fall outside the <ISCED
definition of upper secondary education>, exclude this from your answers as far as possible (e.g., by
estimating or pro-rating for the relevant student population).
We ask about <programs>

Part III of this questionnaire (Questions 29 to 33) refers to the <upper secondary> programs listed in
Question 1. These questions should be answered separately for each <ISCED 3> program offered at
your school site. If you have more than one <ISCED 3> program in your school, fill in Part III of the
questionnaire separately for each program you offer at your school site.
How should you mark your answer?

There are three types of answers in this questionnaire:

In some questions (Q2 and Q4) the response alternatives are printed in separate rows and you must
choose one of them. In these questions you should answer by putting an in the (like this: )
You will be reminded by the instruction: Mark only one of the circles.)
In many questions you should answer by ticking ( ) the box ( ) of the best answer in each row.
You will be reminded of this by the instruction Tick one box in each row.
Some questions require you to write in text, numbers or percentages. For these questions you
should write your answer on the line provided (____). You will be reminded in the cell, if you are
expected to estimate a percentage as your answer (_____%).

58

OECD 2004

ANNEX 1

PART I: BACKGROUND QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SCHOOL

1. What levels of education are offered at your school site?

Tick one box in each row.

a. <Country name for primary education (ISCED Level 1)>

1 Yes

No

b. <Country name for lower sec. education (ISCED Level 2)>

1 Yes

No

c. <Country name for ISCED Level 4>

1 Yes

No

d. <Country name for ISCED Level 5 >

1 Yes

No

e. <Country name for ISCED 3 Program 1>

1 Yes

No

f. <Country name for ISCED 3 Program 2>

1 Yes

No

g. <Country name for ISCED 3 Program 3>

1 Yes

No

h. <Country name for ISCED 3 Program 4>

1 Yes

No

i. <Country name for ISCED 3 Program 5>, etc.

1 Yes

No

2. Is your school a <public> or a <private> school?

Mark only one.

A <public> school
<This is a school managed directly or indirectly by a public education authority, government
agency, or governing board appointed by government or elected by public franchise.>
A <private school>
<This is a school managed directly or indirectly by a non-government organisation; e.g.,
a church, trade union, businesses, other private institutions.>

3. About what percentage of your total funding for a typical school year comes from the following sources?

a. Government (includes departments, local, regional, state and national)

b. Student fees or school charges paid by parents

c. Benefactors, donations, bequests, sponsorships, parent fund raising

d. Other

Total

OECD 2004

100 %

59

ANNEX 1

4. Which of the following best describes the area in which your school is located?

Mark only one.

<A metropolitan area is a large city with the surrounding settlements well integrated in the urban public
transportation system>
A <village, hamlet or rural area> (fewer than 3 000 people)

A <small town> (3 000 to about 15 000 people)

A <town> (15 000 to about 100 000 people)

A <city> (100 000 to about 1 000 000 people)

Close to the cultural/business/shopping center of a <city> with over 1 000 000 people

Elsewhere in the <metropolitan area> of a city with over 1 000 000 people

5. How many students were enrolled in your school as of <the end of the first month of this school year>?

Boys

Girls

a. Total enrolment in the school

b. Enrolment in <Country name for ISCED 3 Program 1>
c. Enrolment in <Country name for ISCED 3 Program 2>
d. Enrolment in <Country name for ISCED 3 Program3>
e. Enrolment in <Country name for ISCED 3 Program 4>
f. Enrolment in <Country name for ISCED 3 Program 5>, etc.
6. For each type of position listed, provide the number of staff (full-time and part-time) currently
working in your school.

A full-time person is one who is employed for more than 90 per cent of the statutory working time. A part-time
employee is one employed for less than 90 per cent of the statutory working time
Fill in the number of full-time and part-time persons for each category.
If a full-time person is working in more than one position (e.g. a librarian, or deputy principal with teaching duties),
include that person in the category where he/she spends the larger part of the statutory working time.
INCLUDE TEMPORARY PERSONNEL AS WELL!
In the whole school
Full-time
Part-time
a. School management personnel (principal, deputy principals)
b. Classroom teachers (directly involved in instructional practice)
c. Teacher aides (non-professional personnel who provide instruction
or support teachers in providing instruction)
d. Professional support personnel (e.g., guidance counselors, librarians, psychologists, nurses, social workers, speech therapists)
e. Other support personnel (e.g., secretaries, bookkeepers, caretakers,
cleaners, gardeners, etc.)
60

OECD 2004

ANNEX 1

PART II: QUESTIONS ABOUT <UPPER SECONDARY> EDUCATION

7. What percentage of the teachers currently teaching at the <upper secondary level>

a. are temporaries?
<a person employed for a fixed term not longer than one school year>
b. are fully qualified?
<Full qualification means that a teacher has fulfilled all the training
requirements for teaching a certain subject at the upper secondary level and
meets all other administrative requirements (e.g., probation period).>

%
of all full-time

%
of all part-time

%
of all full-time

%
of all part-time

8. Is the hiring of new teachers <at the upper secondary level> the responsibility of the school
(e.g., <the principals or the department heads>?

If teachers are assigned to your school by an external agency, e.g., a government agency or school district, the answer to
this question should be No.
1 Yes

No

9. How many teaching vacancies <at the upper secondary level> needed to be filled for this school year?

Please answer this and the following question even if hiring teachers is the responsibility of another organisation
(like the local or regional school authority).
If none, write 0.
posts
10. Which of the following methods were used to cover these vacancies?

Tick one box in each row.

a. A fully qualified teacher was hired on a permanent or temporary basis

1 Yes

No

b. A person with less than full qualification was hired

1 Yes

No

c. A planned course offer was cancelled

1 Yes

No

d. The sizes of some of the classes were expanded

1 Yes

No

e. Sections (courses) were added to other teachers normal teaching hours

1 Yes

No

OECD 2004

61

ANNEX 1

11. In which study areas is it difficult to hire a fully qualified teacher <at the upper secondary level>
in your experience?

Tick one box in each row.

a. Mother tongue

1 Yes

No

b. Mathematics

1 Yes

No

c. Foreign languages

1 Yes

No

d. Social studies

1 Yes

No

e. Sciences

1 Yes

No

f. Technology

1 Yes

No

g. Arts

1 Yes

No

h. Physical education

1 Yes

No

i. Computer science/informatics/information technology

1 Yes

No

j. Business studies

1 Yes

No

k. Other

12. Which ways does your school support or encourage the <professional development> of <upper
secondary teachers>?

<By professional development we mean any activity that develops an individuals skills, knowledge, expertise and other
characteristics as a teacher.These include personal study and reflection, collaborative development of new approaches,
as well as formal courses>.
Tick one box in each row.
a. The school has a separate budget for the professional development
of teachers
b. The school provides time for teachers for professional development (e.g., by building in professional days within the regular
school year, by organising rotated schedules for PD and organising
replacement for teachers attending courses).
c. The school organises staff development activities (e.g., peer observation of classes, mentoring of young teachers, staff conferences
on particular educational subjects, participation in developmental
work, action research)
d. The school collects and circulates information on professional
development courses in the school district
e. Other

62

1 Yes

No

1 Yes

No

1 Yes

No

1 Yes

No

OECD 2004

ANNEX 1

13. Consider the past school year. What percentage of <upper secondary teachers> participated in
professional development activities?

Write a percentage or tick the box in each row. If none, write 0 %.

1Not applicable/

a. <ICT > related professionaI develoment activities

Dont know

1Not applicable/
Dont know

b. Other professional development activities

14. Consider the past school year. Did any of the <upper secondary teachers> participate in the
following kinds of <professional development activities> (including <ICT> training)?

Tick one box in each row.

a. Courses or workshops on subject matter, methodology and other

education related topics
b. Conferences where teachers and/or researchers present their
methodological and scientific results and discuss educational
problems
c. Degree program (e.g., qualification program, masters, Ph.D.)
d. Observational visits to other schools
e. Regularly-scheduled collaboration among teachers on issues of
instruction (do not include administrative meetings)
f. Mentoring and/or peer observation and coaching as part of a
formal arrangement that is recognized or supported by the school
or educational authorities
g. Collaborative research and/or development on a topic related to
education (e.g., new methods of teaching, curriculum development,
integration of computer use in the curriculum)
h. Participation in a network of teachers (e.g., one organized by an
outside agency or over the Internet)
i. Visits to companies/employers

Not
applicable/
Dont know

Yes

No

15. Consider the <second month of this school year>. Please estimate the percentage of the class
periods that had to be cancelled or covered by somebody else <at the upper secondary level>
because of the absence of the assigned teacher?

Write a percentage or tick the box in each row. If none, write 0 %.

a. cancelled (not held)
b. covered by another teacher

OECD 2004

%
%

1Not applicable/

Dont know

1Not applicable/
Dont know

63

ANNEX 1

16. How often are the following factors considered when students are admitted to <upper
secondary programs> in your school?

Tick one box in each row.

Never or
rarely

Sometimes

Often or
Always

a. Residence in a particular area

b. Students record of academic performance (including placement tests)

c. Entrance examination

d. Recommendation of feeder schools

e. Parents endorsement of the instructional or religious philosophy

of the school

f. Whether the student requires or is interested in a special program

g. Preference given to family members of current or former students

17. In general, how often does your school group <upper secondary> students using the following
methods?

Tick one box in each row.

Never or
rarely

Sometimes

Often or
Always

a. Students are grouped more or less at random

b. Students are grouped according to similar ability levels

c. Students are grouped so that classes contain a mixture of ability levels

d. Students are assigned according to the special expertise of teachers

e. Students are assigned to classes composed of students of similar ages

f. Students are grouped according to their choice of program or

subject (e.g., foreign language)
g. Students are grouped according to the requests of parents/
guardians

18. Does your school keep records for each <upper secondary> student during his/her entire stay
for each of the following aspects?

Please indicate for each of the following aspects if such records are kept AND, if yes, whether teachers have access to
them.Tick TWO BOXES in each row that you marked Yes in column 1.
Records kept
centrally in
the school?
Yes No

All teachers
have access?
Yes No

a. The students choice of subjects/modules

If yes,

b. Student performance in school (e.g., scores on tests and assignments)

If yes,

64

OECD 2004

ANNEX 1

c. Behavioral problems like bullying, drug addiction, etc.

If yes,

d. Students absenteeism

If yes,

If yes,

If yes,

e. Student performance out of school (e.g., in community projects

or internships)
f. Results of final examinations

19. Does your school receive information on its functioning from one or more of the following groups?

Tick one box in each row.

Not
applicable/
Dont know

Yes

No

a. Regional, national education authorities (e.g., inspectorates)

b. The local school authority or the maintainer of the school

c. Employers (e.g., where the students spend their internship)

d. Parent groups (e.g., School Board, Teacher Parent Association)

e. Teacher groups (e.g., Staff Association, trade union)

f. Student groups (e.g., Student Association, youth organization)

g. External examination boards (students results)

Questions 20 to 28 ask about the use of information technology in your school.

Computers in this section include computers capable of supporting other multimedia equipment such as a CD ROM
and a sound card. Pocket computers or computers used only for recreation should be excluded from the answers.
Educational purpose in this section means the use of computers in planning, organizing, and evaluating student
learning, and the use of computers as a teaching and learning tool. E.g., retrieving demonstration material from
the <Internet>, editing of information, preparing demonstration material, preparing tasks and tests, correcting
student work, demonstration and practicing of information search on the <Internet/www>, etc.

20. Does your school provide computers (workstations) for students and/or the staff for educational
purposes?

If your answer to this question is No, tick the No box and skip to Question 29
1 Yes

OECD 2004

Skip to
Question 29

2 No

65

ANNEX 1

21. Excluding computers only for recreation, about how many computers (workstations) are in your
school

Write a number in each row. If none, write 0.

a. available in the school altogether?
b. available for students altogether?
c. available only for <upper secondary> students?
d. available only for teachers use?
e. available only for the administrative staff?
f. connected to the Internet/World Wide Web?
g. connected to a local area network (LAN, Intranet)?
h. portable (excluding pocket computers)?
22. In which year were the following technologies first used in your school for educational purposes?

Tick one box in each row.

a. Standard word processing and spreadsheet applications like Word
or Excel

Year

Not
applicable/
Not in use Dont know
1

b. <World Wide Web> (Internet)

c. <e-mail accessible for teachers and students>

23. What percentage of the teachers at the <upper secondary level> in your school use

Write a percentage or tick the box in each row. If none, write 0 %.

a. computers for educational purposes at least once a month? e.g., use computer
in classroom as a medium of instruction, for demonstration purposes, as a
learning tool, etc.
b. the <WWW> for educational purposes at least once a month? e.g., to collect
demonstration material, to teach information search, to network students with
students in other schools, etc.
c. <e-mail> for educational purposes regularly (at least once a month)? e.g., to
send and receive homework, give feedback to students, etc.

66

Not
Percentage applicable/
of teachers Dont know
%

OECD 2004

ANNEX 1

24. Are the following computer-related activities a regular part of students assignments in <upper
secondary education> in your school?

By regular part we mean that such assignments are given at least once a month.
Tick one box in each row.

Not
applicable/
Dont know

Yes

No

f. Communicating via e-mail with teachers and other students

g. Sending, searching for, and using electronic forms of information

h. Using educational software (e.g., taking tests, exercises)

a. operating a computer (saving files, printing, etc.)

b. writing documents with a word processor (typing, editing,
layout)
c. making illustrations with graphical programs
d. Calculating with spreadsheet programs
(sheet creation, use of formulas, organising information)
e. Writing programs (in e.g., <logo, pascal, etc.>)

25. At the <upper secondary level>, how much are computers used on a regular basis to

Tick one box in each row.

Not at all
a. develop skills of independent learning
b. provide additional instruction and practicing opportunities for
students with special needs
c. allow students to learn/work at their own pace during lessons
d. combine parts of schools subjects with one another (multidisciplinary approach)
e. create opportunities for learning by simulation
(using real-world simulation programs)
f. obtain information from the Internet

A little

A lot

26. In which fields of information and communication technology use does your school work
together with educational institutions, private companies or other organizations?

Other organizations include ministries, local authorities, municipal libraries, etc.

Check no if your school does not work together with any other organisation in a particular field.
Tick one box in each row.
Cooperation with
Other
Other
educational Private
organiNone institutions companies sations
a. Donation, exchange and/or joint purchase of ICT-related
1
2
3
4
items (e.g., software, hardware, ICT learning materials)
OECD 2004

67

ANNEX 1

b. Joint educational experience through ICT (e.g., communication and exchange of information, joint research
projects)
c. Professional development with regard to ICT
d. Other development activities with regard to ICT (e.g.,
development of software, computer networks, learning
environments, learning materials)
e. Joint computer network and/or joint system/network
maintenance
f. Delivery of instruction (e.g., on-line courses)
g. Other

27. Do you consider any of the following an obstacle to reaching your schools information
technology related goals?

Tick one box in each row.

Obstacle

Not an obstacle

a. Insufficient number of computers for teachers use

b. Insufficient number of computers for students use

c. Outdated computers (older than 3 years)

d. Shortage of maintenance and technical support

e. Not enough copies of software for instructional purposes

f. Not enough variety (types) of software

g. Poor quality of available software

m. Difficult to use with low achieving students

n. No time in the school schedule for using the <Internet/WWW>

h. Insufficient time for teachers to prepare lessons in which

computers are used
i. Difficult to integrate computers into classroom instruction practices
j. Not enough staff to supervise students using computers
k. Problems in scheduling enough computer time for different
classes
l. Internet connection not available

o. No time in teachers schedule to explore opportunities for using

the <Internet/WWW>
p. Not enough space to locate computers appropriately
q. Lack of interest/willingness of teachers to use computers
68

OECD 2004

ANNEX 1

r. Teachers lack of knowledge/skills in using computers for instructional purposes

s. Not enough training opportunities for teachers
t. Insufficient plans and/or resources to prevent theft and vandalism
of computers
u. Lack of support from the governing body or community
v. Weak infrastructure (telecommunications, electricity, etc.)

28. Consider the list in Question 27. Which are the three most serious obstacles to using <ICT> in teaching?

Write the letter of the first three most important obstacles on the lines (see Question 27).
a. The first most serious obstacle is
b. The second most serious obstacle is
c. The third most serious obstacle is
The questions in the following section (Questions 29 to 33) refer to the broad <upper
secondary> program types listed in Question 1.
These last five questions should be answered separately for each of the <ISCED 3> program
types offered at your school site. If you have more than one <ISCED 3> program type in your
school, fill in a Part III form separately for each program type you offer in your school.

Below you find the checklist of Part III forms attached to the school questionnaire.Tick the box of the ones you fill out.
a. <Country name for ISCED 3 Program 1>

b. <Country name for ISCED 3 Program 2>

c. <Country name for ISCED 3 Program 3>

d. <Country name for ISCED 3 Program 4>

e. <Country name for ISCED 3 Program 5>, etc.

Country ID:
Program ID:

OECD 2004

Stratum ID:

School ID:

69

ANNEX 1

PART III: PROGRAM QUESTIONNAIRE

<PROGRAM NAME>

29. The following questions ask about students in the final school grade/year of <this program>.
Consider the last school year.

Even if you do not have an official record, please provide your best estimate, if you have information.
Write in the number or tick the Not applicable/Dont know box in each row.

a. How many students were ENROLLED in the final year of this program last
school year?
b. How many students COMPLETED THE PROGRAM successfully (including
examination requirements)?
c. How many students LEFT THE SCHOOL WITHOUT COMPLETING this
or any other program successfully?

Not
Number of applicable/
students Dont know
1
1
1

d. How many students continue their STUDIES IN <ISCED 5> programs?

e. How many students continue their studies in <ISCED 4> programs?

f. How many students continue their STUDIES IN OTHER <ISCED 3> LEVEL
programs?
g. How many students continue their STUDIES IN THE WORK-BASED part of
THIS PROGRAM but no longer as student of this school?
h. How many students sought EMPLOYMENT as a primary activity after leaving this school?

1
1
1
1

30. As part of this program, how often does your school use the following methods of career
counseling for <this program>?

By career counseling we mean any systematic effort by the school to assist students in making decisions on further
education and/or transition to the labor market.
If the services below are provided for your students, fill out this table even if career counselling is the responsibility of
an out-of-school organisation.
Tick a box in each row.
a. Specific classes are set aside in the curriculum for this purpose
b. Subject matter teachers include a module in their teaching schedule
focused on career counseling related to the subject
c. A specific guidance plan is provided for all students along the whole
duration of the program

70

Never or Some- Often or

rarely times always
1

OECD 2004

ANNEX 1

d. Information about possible careers is provided to all students through

occasional classes or lectures
e. Personal guidance is provided by a tutor and/or school counselor
f. Informal guidance is given to students
g. The school invites employers and/or practitioners to talk to students
within or outside instruction time
h. The school invites representatives of further education institutions to talk
to students
i. The school organises visits for students to employment organisations
and/or counseling services
j. The school organises visits to institutes of further education

31. Consider the last school year. What percentage of the students in the final school grade/year of
<this program> received individual career counseling?

Write a percentage or tick the box. If none, write 0 %.

%

1Not applicable/

Dont know

32. The following questions refer to different aspects of instruction time in this program.

<Grade 14>

<Grade 13>

<Grade 12>

<Grade 11>

<Grade 10>

<Grade 9>

<Grades> are counted from the 1st year of primary education. Fill in the table from the column which corresponds to
the first year of this program for a typical student. Leave blank the columns of grades which belong to another level of
education.>
If there are different time schedules within this program, choose the one in which most students are enrolled or which is
typical.

a. How many WEEKS students normally attend school in this

program? (Do not count out-of-school learning or training
time.)
b. How many DAYS A WEEK do students get instruction?
(Do not count out-of-school training time.)
c. How many CLASS PERIODS A WEEK students normally
have in this program? (Include within school vocational
training here.)
<Class period is the length of time each lesson runs for on a
normal day. Some classes may run for double periods or even more,
but the class period refers to the basic unit of time used to break up
the teaching day>.
d. How many MINUTES are there in a regular class period in
this program?
OECD 2004

71

ANNEX 1

33. The following questions refer to out-of-school activities as part of the scheduled learning time in
this program.

<Grade 14>

<Grade 13>

<Grade 12>

<Grade 11>

<Grade 10>

<Grade 9>

A day in this context should be counted as six or more clock hours.

a. How many if any DAYS OF <WORK-BASED LEARNING>

does a student normally have in this program? (Write 0, if it is a
general program, or if practical/vocational training takes place
in the school.)
<Work-based learning refers to the out-of-school training time
(apprenticeship) spent in a work organization. It does not include
instruction time within the school.>
b. How many DAYS OF ORGANIZED WORK EXPERIENCE
if any does a student normally have in this program? (Write
0, if it there is no authentic work experience is organised by
your school for the students in this program. (Do not count
work based learning here)
<Organized work experience can include any out-of-school activity
that is planned in the curriculum and involves sustained effort to
complete a task in an authentic work environment.
It may include participation in community services, and within
school services done on a regular basis.>

END OF PART III

72

OECD 2004